Category: Verses

Jesus mentions many times in scripture that if you ask for anything in his name that it WILL be given to you.

“Ask and it will be given to you: seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” -Matthew 7:7-8

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” -Mark 11:24

But what exactly does he mean? Can I just ask for a million dollars, really believe it, and he’ll give it to me?

Well, not exactly…

You see, when you read the Bible as a whole you get the whole picture.

Take what Paul says in Romans 8:5, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.”

Jesus even said in John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

When you live for Jesus and the Spirit lives in you, you’ll be asking what the Spirit wants for you, not what you want for yourself. You’ll be in line with God’s will for your life.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:2

When you renew your mind with the Spirit, you are aligning your life for what God wants for you. So you will then be asking what he wants for your life!

You’re living for HIM, not yourself.

Have your mind set on what the Spirit desires and God will give you everything you ask!

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” -Psalm 37:4

I’ve noticed a reoccurring theme that comes up whenever I talk with my family about “forgiveness.”

The ones I’ve talked to about forgiveness always say they could never forgive someone if they harmed someone they love. They say they would HATE that person. Some said they would even like to kill that person.

Yikes.

Two passages come to my mind every time I hear someone say they couldn’t forgive someone who does something horrible…

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” -Matthew 6:14-15

and

“Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murdered, and you know that no murdered has eternal life in him.” -1 John 3:14b-15

Jesus is very clear. If you don’t forgive someone who sins against you, then our heavenly Father will not forgive you. Jesus isn’t saying you’ll like it. He’s not saying you have to be best friends with the person, but you do have to forgive.

Even John says, “Anyone who hates his brother is a murdered, and you know that no murdered has eternal life in him.”

Wowzers! Sounds pretty clear to me, no?

Well, on Friday, my uncle and I were talking about Jesus and the Bible and we started talking about forgiveness. And guess what he said?! He said if something happened to me or anyone in the family, or his friends, he would never be able to forgive that person.

I referred him to scripture, but he said he knows he needs to forgive, but he wouldn’t be to do it.

So the rest of that night and Saturday it really got me thinking. And this verse popped in my head, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:18

How could you give thanks in all circumstances, especially some horrible act done against someone you love?

The only thing I could think and what I can start telling people is… If someone did something horrible to me and it ended in my death, forgive them and give thanks to our Father in Heaven that it happened to me and not someone who isn’t saved.

It was a meme that said, “If God created man and angels but only gave man free will, doesn’t that mean that the angels are slaves and that satan and his followers fought for their freedom?”

That meme really got me thinking. I’m not going to go into the ‘free will’ aspects of it, but the ‘slave’ part.

Dictionary.com defines “Slave” as a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant.

No one wants to be a slave, do they? But are we ever truly free?

If you go through the Bible you’ll discover that everyone is a slave to something.

Here’s what Paul has to say in Romans 6:16-23

“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul is saying you’re either slave to sin or a slave to righteousness.

Think about your life… what sins have you been a slave to? How did you overcome them?

Regards to the meme, it looks like satan and his followers fought for their freedom from righteousness to become slaves to sin. Not a good choice.

Would you rather be a slave to the world (which leads to death) or a slave to God (which leads to eternal life)?

If someone was to ask you, “How would you define love?” how would you respond?

Dictionary.com defines love as:

Aprofoundlytender,passionateaffectionforanotherperson.

A feelingofwarmpersonalattachmentordeepaffection,asforaparent,child,orfriend.

It’s how we all usually define love, no?

But, what does scripture have to say about love? How does scripture define love?

Take it away, Paul!

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” -1 Corinthians 13:4-8

What wise words form a wise man.

Now I want you to replace LOVE with your name. So for me it would be:

David is patient. David is kind. David does not envy. David does not boast. David is not proud. David is not rude. David is not self-seeking. David is not easily angered. David keeps no record of wrongs. David does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. David always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Wow! How powerful is that just by replacing one word with your name!

Now I must admit, I’m not all of those. Heck, I can see me being all of these at times, which means I have a lot of work to do. It also gives me a lot to think about…

How about you? What do you need to work on when it comes to love?

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13

Lately I’ve been thinking that we could all use a little encouragement, especially around all of the holidays. Which, I hear Christmas is the most depressing time of the year for many people (and it shouldn’t be).

So I normally make posts online or try to say some encouraging words to people I come across.

One thing I’ve noticed is that people actually take a likening the encouraging words, especially some encouraging scripture passages.

Here’s a few verses to help you with getting started to encourage others!

Remember, we’re all faces trials of many kinds. Why not help lift someone up who is in need… It’s as simple as saying a few encouraging words.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” -Ephesians 4:29

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” -Hebrew 3:13

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” -John 14:27

And, my favorite passage in the Bible…

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” -2 Corinthians 1:3-4

There’s a lot to be thankful for even if you feel the world is collapsing all around you.

So on this Thanksgiving Day, I’m going to share with you some Bible passages about giving thanks.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”” -Philippians 4:6-7

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

“For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.” -1 Timothy 4:4-5

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” -1 Chronicles 16:34

“I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” -Psalm 7:17

Now go and think about what you’re thankful for. Feel free to share what you’re thankful for in the comments below.

Not only am I thankfully for Jesus, who died for my sins, but for my family, my friends, and, of course… all of YOU!

Today is day 31. Enjoy it and I’ll talk about the Proverbs Challenge in a later post.

Proverbs 31:3, 6-10, 20, 30-31

Do not spend your strength on women, your vigor on those who ruin kings. Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth farm more than rubies. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man’s understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings’ palaces. If you have played the fool and exalted yourself, or if you have planned evil, clap your hand over your mouth! For as churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.

A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down. The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright. A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The Lord gives sight to the eyes of both. Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul. A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond. An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins. Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the Lord that man gets justice.